Chart — RT Career & Professional Practice
Respiratory Therapist Work Settings Compared
Where the credential can take a career — the major RT work settings compared by patient population, the day-to-day work, and the specialty credential that helps in each.
Written by Apex Respiratory Editorial Team
Educational use only. This material supports respiratory therapy education and exam review. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, or physician orders. Always follow facility policies and current provider orders, and verify calculations independently before clinical use.
RT Work Settings
| Setting | Patient Population | Typical Work | Helpful Credential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acute care (floors, ED) | Mixed inpatients and emergencies | Oxygen, aerosols, assessment, airway, codes | CRT or RRT |
| Critical care (adult ICU) | Critically ill adults | Mechanical ventilation, ABGs, weaning, ECMO | RRT, ACCS |
| Neonatal/pediatric (NICU/PICU) | Newborns and children | Neonatal ventilation, resuscitation, transport | RRT, NPS |
| Sleep medicine (sleep lab) | Sleep-disordered breathing | Polysomnography, CPAP/BiPAP titration | RRT, SDS |
| Pulmonary function (PFT lab) | Outpatients and pre-op | Spirometry, lung volumes, DLCO | CPFT, RPFT |
| Home care / DME | Home oxygen, ventilation, CPAP | Equipment setup, education, follow-up | CRT or RRT |
| Transport | Critically ill patients in transit | Ground and air critical-care transport | RRT (plus specialty) |
| Education / leadership | Students and departments | Teaching, management, quality improvement | RRT plus a bachelor's or master's |
How to Use This Chart
This chart maps the most common RT work settings to the patient populations they serve, the work done day to day, and the credential most associated with that role. The CRT and RRT are awarded by the NBRC; specialty credentials (ACCS, NPS, SDS, CPFT, RPFT) are additional exams that signal focused expertise. No credential is formally required to work in any specific setting — employers set their own requirements — but the entries below reflect common expectations in the field.
- Portability. The CRT/RRT credential is recognized across all settings; specialty credentials and graduate education unlock higher-acuity and non-bedside roles.
- Higher-acuity settings. ICU, NICU, and transport roles generally expect the RRT and often a matching specialty credential such as ACCS or NPS.
- Non-bedside paths. Education, management, and industry roles typically add a bachelor's or master's degree to the credential rather than a specialty exam.
Related Resources
Sources
- Kacmarek RM, Stoller JK, Heuer AJ. Egan's Fundamentals of Respiratory Care. 12th ed. Elsevier; 2021. The respiratory care profession.
- Barnes TA, Gale DD, Kacmarek RM, Kageler WV. Competencies needed by graduate respiratory therapists in 2015 and beyond. Respir Care. 2010;55(5):601-616.